Traction device for motor-vehicles.



Patented Aug. 30,1910.

o as o o EF 14 24 14 1/ WITNESSES ATTORNEYS .nnirnn snares A EN OFFICE.

A TRUMAN AY manws,

mactrionmwrcnr or summit, mmrmso'mi on. moron-vnmcnns.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Specification cfI-etters Patent.

Application filed. November 27, 1909. Serial No. 530,128.

To all whom it may. concern: with other motor vehicles which are pro- Beit known that I, TRUMAN Jar asnnnws, a citizen. of the United States,and a resident of Bemidji, in the county of Beltrami and State" ofMinnesota, have invented a new and Improved Traction Device forMotor-Yehicles,'of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to traction devices for motor vehicles, and isparticularly nseful in connection with motor 'sleighs.

It includes an endless traction member arranged to be continuouslydriven by the motor of the sleigh and having spurs adapted to engage theground to give the necessary traction, the spurs being movabletransversely of the endless member whereby they adjust themselves to thenature of the ground over which the vehicle is traveling.

The object of the invention is to provite a simple, strong and durabletraction device for motor vehicles such as motor sleighs and the like,which is compact in form,,which is inexpensive to manufacture, which canbe applied to motor vehicles of different types,

in which the traction member has spurs for engaging the ground to propelthe vehicle, the spurs being resiliently adjustable transversely of thetraction member so that they adjust themselves for different kinds ofsurface and ground, and in which the parts cannot easily becomecloggedthrough the adhering thereto of earth, snow, and the like.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts tobe more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in theclaims. I

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar character's of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the rear part of a motor sleigh having an embodiment of myinvention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectionon the line 2--2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a similar View on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the-line H of Fig. 2.

Before proceedingto a more detailed explanation of my invention, itshould be clearly understood that while the same is particulal l yusefulin connection with motor polled by the engagement of continuously movingtraction members with the ground or other surface supporting-thevehicle. Needless to say, the traction devices ban be actuated by anysuitable type of motor adapted for the purpose.

As will appear more clearly hereinafter, the endless tract-ion .memhersconsisting preferably of chains, have spurs which ongage the surface ofthe ground or other surface upon which the vehicle travels, andpenetrate partly into the same, the depth of the penetration dependingupon the nature of the surface. These spots are resiliently adjustabletransversely of the traction member so that they regulate-themselvesautomatically, to the surface of the ground and the nature of the same,thatis, the comparative softness or hardness thereof. Needless .to say,certain of the details of construction preference and specialconditions, without departing from the underlying spirit of theinvention.

Referring more particularly to the draw-' body 10 of a motor sleighprovided with a suitable driving motor (not shown).. At the rear, thevehicle bpdy is mounted u'pon' runners '11, of any suitable type andeach having, extending longitudinally thereof, an

tioned an oblong casing13, secured upon the runner by means of flanges14, or in any other suitable manner.

W'ithin the casing, near the ends, are transverse shafts 15 and 16respectively, carryingsprocket wheels 17 and 18, mounted The rear shaft15 projects through the casing, and at the outside has a second sprocketlatter is mounted upon the driving shaft 22, which is actuated by themotor of the vehicle.

Within each casing 13 is located an endless traction member 23,consisting preferablyof a chain arranged to travel around the sprockets17 andlS at suitable intervals. The chain includes guide links 24:,which carry substantially U-shaped spurs 25, slidable transversely ofthe guide links, in open ings 24, so that the spurs are adjustabletransversely of the traction. member. The

wheel 19, operatively connected by means of 1 i a chain 20, with asprocket wheel 21. The

" can be altered in accordance with individual i ings. l have shown forexample, part of the opening or slot 12. above which is posi-.

in suitable hearings in the casing walls.

tion 30. The rollers are arranged in pairs,

with the gearsi nimesh so that the rollers are ferally extending pins 28upon which are mountedrollers '29, each having a gear secconstrained to'operate together, turningin opposite directions within the casing. bothsides thereof are endless guide ribs or brackets 31 adapted to engagethe inner roller 29, that is, the rollers nearer the tapered, effectiveends 32 of the spurs. A movable guide member 33, having upwardlydisposed extremities is positioned within. each casing and has crossbars 84, each engaging a coiled or other spring 35. The ends of thecross bars are movable in guide recesses 84: of the casing walls. 1 Thesprings are held against upward movement by a transverse stop orpartition 36. The

guide member 33 is arranged to have the spurs pass thereunder with theupper rollers in engagement therewith. The guide member 33 and the guideribs, are sopositioned that the spurs are projected through the slot ofthe runner at one end of the same, and after they have completed theirtravel longitudinally of the slot, areretracted. In other words, whenthe spurs come into engagement with the ground they are forced into thesame, and when they approach the end of their travel they are retracted,the movement in each case being transversely of the 1traction member,and substantially vertica It will be understood that owing to theprovision of the springs 35, the movable guide member 33, and the stop36, the spurs will adjust themselves automatically to the nature of theground, and the penetration of the spurs into the ground willconsequently depend upon the comparative softness or hardness thereof.At the end of the casing the guide ribs 31 have upwardly inclinedsections corresponding to the upward incli nation of the extremities ofthe guide memher 33, so that these parts co-act in regulating theadjustment of the spurs. The provision of the gear sections 30 causesthe rollers to have a rolling engagement with the member 38 and theguide ribs so that the friction is reduced to a minimum.

At the ends, the guide member has cutaway parts 37 in which thesprockets l7 and 18 can move without interference. The casing'y'a'ttherear', has an opening 38 through which earth, snow or the like canescape to prevent the clogging of the movable parts. The spurs on beingwithdrawn from the ground or from the snow or ice, are apt to haveparticles of the material clinging thereto, but they will freethemselves on beseen 1 4 ing drawn transversely through the guide links,so that the adhering material can escape through'the opening 38, beingadvanced thereto by the movement of the traction member.

Having thus described my invention, '1

claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent:

1. A device of the class described, comprising an endlesstraction memberhaving ground-engaging members movable transversely thereof, and aresiliently-held guide independent of and separate from said member andcontrolling said ground-engaging members 2. A device of the classdescribed, com prising an endless traction member having transverselymovable spurs adapted to engage the ground, said endless member beingadapted' to be continuously propelled, and

guide means independent of said member for moving said spurs toward andaway fronr the ground, said guide means being partly fixed and partlymovable.

3. In adevice of the class described, an endless flexible tractionmember arranged to travel, and spurs carried thereby for engaging theground, said spurs being movable transversely of said member, and meansindependent of said traction member for resiliently controlling saidspurs.

4. A device of the class described, comprising an endless tractionchain, spurs movable transversely of said chain, and guide meanscontrolling said spurs whereby the same can be adjusted transversely ofsaid traction chain as said chain travels, said guide means beingseparate from said chain and resiliently adjustable.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a casing, casing, anendless traction member movable within said casing, spurs adjustabletransversely of said member, a guide rib controlling said spurs, a guidemember co-acting with said guide rib and controlling said spurs, saidguide member being movable, and a spring resisting the movement of saidguide member.

A device of the class described, comprising an endless sprocket chain,means for mounting said chain to travel continuously, said chain havinglinks provided with openings in the sides thereof, U-shapedgroundengaging spurs having the sides movably received in said openingsof said links, guide means for said spurs, and rollers carried by saidspurs and engaging said guide means.

7. In a device of the class described, a runner, an endless sprocketchain mounted on said runner and extending longitudinally thereof,sprocket wheels around which said chain passes, spurs carried by saidchain and adapted to project below said runner,

. sprocket wheels inonn ted means for driving said chain, means forextending said spurs on their rearward'nioveinent with respect to saidrunner, and means for withc lrawing said spurs as they approach the endof their rearward movement.

8. A device of theclass described, comprising, in combination, a pair ofshafts, on said shafts, an endless chain passing around said sprocketwheels, spurs guided on said chains and projecting outwardly, and guidemeans controlling said spurs whereby said spurs are projected when theyare moving toward the rear of said runner, and whereby said spars areretracted when they are moving toward the front of said runner, saidguide means being resiliently adjustable.

9. A device of the class described, comprising a runner having a slotextei'iding longitudinally thereof, a casing mounted upon said runnerover said slot, shafts journaled in said casing, sprockets -ar1ied bysaidshafs, an endless traction chain a1- ranged to travel around saidsprockets, spurs carried by said chain and movable transversely thereof,rollers carried by Said spurs, guide ribs within said casing andengaging certain of said rollers, and a resiliently-held guide memberengaging others of said rollers.

10. In a device of the class described, an endless traction member,spurs carried by said traction nieinber and adjustable with respectthereto, each of said spurs having a pair of rollers, and guide ribs,each adapted to engage one of said rollers of each of said pairs, saidrollers having gear sections in mesh with one another.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

TRUMAN JAY annaswsj.

\Vitnesses:

JULIA Ninison, A. M. CnownLL.

